Letters to the Editor: Country has forgotten to be thankful

I'm beginning to understand what has changed in our country. This change has been demonstrated by the fact that everywhere in our country, we have forgotten Thanksgiving - opting instead to pursue a totally materialistic path, without regard to the blessings we had as a nation.

The fall/Thanksgiving items are already marked down at the stores in order to get people to start buying "stuff" for Christmas.

People who plan ahead typically try to get a head's start for their gift list. But as a nation to forget to be thankful for the blessings we have in order to watch football, get up at a ridiculous hour to purchase more stuff and start advertising for Christmas before the pumpkin gets cold is just another example of why our nation is on the track the majority of voters have chosen.

Teri Baker

Prattville

Election due to ignorance?

Sunday's Advertiser carried two letters that suggested that President Obama's election victory was due to the ignorance of the people who voted for him. The second of the two letters made the curious claim that the most frequent search topic on Google in the days before the election was "who is running for president?" If this is true, it could plausibly be argued that people making such a query were not ignorant of the man who has been president almost four years, but were trying to pin down the ever shifting Mitt Romney.

A potent counterpoint to the two letters also appeared in the Sunday Advertiser in the business column by regular contributor John Norris. Mr. Norris responded to a reader inquiry about whether the stock market dip after the election was due to Obama's win, by noting that the states with the wealthiest residents voted overwhelming for Obama. Nine out of 10 of the highest-earning states voted for Obama. Conversely, nine out of 10 of the lowest-earning states voted for Romney (including Alabama at number 47). Mr. Norris's point was that the "investor class" in not worried about a second Obama administration.

Relevant to the arguments made by the aforementioned two letters in that high-income earners tend to be better educated and are not ignorant of the issues when they vote. Nonetheless, it is undeniably true that there are many woefully uninformed voters. In the run up to the election they were frequently referred to as Low Information Voters, a term applied to the much-ballyhooed undecided voters in the polls.

An awkward fact for Alabama, and most of the other low-earning states, is that we have a lot of low information voters and most of them vote republican. It may be personally satisfying to believe that your own vote was grounded in reality and "facts," but you are on very shaky ground if you believe that voters with the opposite view were simply uninformed. Ignorance is an equal opportunity affliction.

Joel Sanders

Montgomery

It is interesting to read all the editorials and blogs on what the GOP needs to do to be successful in future elections. Given the election and the brilliant Democratic strategy of gathering all minority groups into their camp, there is no changes the GOP can make without sacrificing principles.

All the minority groups voted for the Democratic person or position in all the blue states and the blue states are now in the majority for the Electoral College vote. Thanks to the progressive mantra, all the minorities believe government is the solution to their situation, even though some of their wishes might be at crossed purposes with other minority goals. Government is now the solution to all ills real or perceived.

Until people change from their belief that government is the answer, the GOP will be second best for a long time to come. And the change won't be happening any time soon, as it appears more and more are convinced government is the answer. They all seem to see the government as the benevolent dictator doing no harm. They don't mind someone giving up a freedom as long as it isn't theirs. History proves even a good dictator isn't the best for all the people in the longer term. So much for our Constitution and Bill of Rights, it was a great run while it lasted.

Duane Mara

Montgomery

ADVERTISEMENT

Most Popular

Most Commented

More Headlines

Most Viewed

Photo Galleries

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Email this article

Letters to the Editor: Country has forgotten to be thankful

I'm beginning to understand what has changed in our country.

A link to this page will be included in your message.

Real Deals

Flip, shop and save on specials from your favorite retailers in Montgomery, Alabama